ANN MARIE DONAHUE

Review of winning image by juror Laurie Freitag:

"The first thing that caught my eye about Ann Marie Donahue's image '#5 in Self-Portrait series' was the crooked blind.

It immediately creates a sense that something is off balance. Rather than being a minor detail, it becomes an important part of the composition, drawing the viewer into the image and adding a feeling of tension.

The motion blur gives the image a sense of movement and emotion. The figure seems caught between being there and disappearing. The raised hand, open window, and tilted blind create a feeling that something is happening just beyond our understanding.

What I appreciate most is that the photograph doesn’t tell us exactly what to think. Each viewer can bring their own interpretation to it. The image raises questions rather than providing answers, and that is what kept drawing me back to it.

For me, this photograph stood out because it is visually strong, emotionally engaging, and memorable. It lingered in my mind long after I first saw it, which is why I selected it for First Place."

Q&A

Juror Laurie Freitag: "How much planning went into this photograph, and how much was discovered in the moment?"

Ann Marie Donahue: "I created this series 30 years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I was really focusing on the self-portrait. I was trying different environments, and for this moment, I went indoors and used a large format camera (4x5). I love how the images looked on the larger negatives because the tones and gradients were so smooth and juicy.

For this series, I was playing around with gestures and moments in time. A big inspiration for me was some of Duane Michals's portraits that I saw in the mid-'90s. I loved the atmospheric look and the movement of something that was happening or had just occurred. Where to put your hand, how to move your head: all of that fascinated me."

Freitag: "Did you make many frames of this scene, or was there one image that immediately stood out as the right one?"

Donahue: "I definitely discovered it in the moment. I was trying different poses on purpose. I knew that window was special, and I wanted my portrait to take place there.

Since this was shot with 4x5 film, I was more thoughtful about where I wanted to photograph. I remember being attracted to the light coming into the window. I only made 2 images by the window. With larger film, every frame counts, and I had really thought about what I wanted. I was truly the director of these images."

Freitag: "The photograph has a dreamlike quality. Was that something you were consciously trying to achieve?"

Donahue: "Yes, much of my work has a dreamlike quality to it. I am obsessed with dreams and memories, and at times, you may find me daydreaming ;). The light and movement in this image enhance the dreamlike quality. I wanted to experiment with self-portraiture and the environment.

Going to different locations energized me — I wanted to see how that felt emotionally and on film. How would it feel to me and the viewer? I think it's really important to photograph yourself for myriad reasons: discovering what happens when you play with light, what happens to YOU when you are self-reflecting on film (in this case), and how that large negative interacts with light — how much you can play with tonality, and the fine grain of it all."

Freitag: "Has the meaning of this photograph changed for you over time?"

Donahue: "That's a great question. I recall feeling incredibly free and curious about creating this series. There was a determination and specificity about the moment I wanted to express. It was important to go for it with movement and light. At the time of creation, I was putting this woman in different scenarios in the home: at times she was a ghost, other times she was fleeing something or entering a different dimension. For this image, I was interested in the movement going out of the frame. Today, I see a vulnerability in this woman and some history that I hadn't planned on at the moment the image was made."

Freitag: "What do you notice in this image now that you didn’t see when you first made it?"

Donahue: "The specific angle of my head as I exit the frame is interesting to me, as is my hand on the window. For sure, the uneven blind makes it more intriguing. It seems that there is chaos and peace simultaneously occurring in the image.

Freitag: "When you look at this photograph today, do you see the person you were then, or do you see something different?"

Donahue: "I remember her, and I still have a carefree and inquisitive nature about me. Today, I'm seeing a vulnerability in this woman by the window. All of those versions are still there, and now there is a hesitancy when doing self-portraits. Doubt and fear usually come from not doing something in a long time, so the best way to get over that hesitancy is to simply do it! I've always wanted to continue this series many years later. I am so grateful to receive this award, as it seems like a sign to continue the journey."

More about Ann Marie Donahue:

"I am a photographer whose vision is shaped by analog film. The cinema has influenced my point of view and inspired me to work with different cameras. My images revisit evocative memories through merged landscapes, obscure figures, rustic habitats, and filmic self-portraiture."

IMAGE FOR SALE-

#5 in Self-Portrait Series - 14"H x 11" W
Archival paper  (silver-gelatin print)
$600 unframed
Limited edition of 12
Signed on back

Contact: Ann Marie Donahue, ann@annmariedonahue.com

www.annmariedonahue.com/
www.instagram.com/annmariedonahue_fine_artist/

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